Great Fresh Chicken Eggs and Protein

It seems these chickens are just good all the way around, from breakfast to dinner and maybe even for a late night snack. Though, when this stuff is deeply fried, it is pretty much robbed of all of its nutritional value.

Baked chicken is good enough for you, as long as it is not the only thing that you are eating. Eggs though, these are the true gems from the hens.

Have you ever wondered whether some eggs are better than others? Well, theoretically yes.

If you have a free ranged chicken, it should produce healthier eggs, and its meat should be a little denser and less fatty. So if you have your own chickens, you can feel safe in knowing you are eating eggs that are better than the eggs that are sold in grocery stores that come from chickens that spend their entire life cramped in a cave.

Though the eggs in the store that say they are high in vitamin d and other heart health, well this is more of a marketing scheme than actual truth. These eggs that come from supposedly free range chickens are barely any different from the caged chicken’s eggs.

For one, the nutritional value in an egg is barely affected by the life of the chicken. Mainly it is the diet of these chickens that is going to change the nutritional value of their eggs.

But even that is not going to make any miraculous changes to your chicken eggs. There are no golden eggs that cure all ailments and stop aging.

Secondly, these chickens being advertised as free range, have the same life as their caged counterpart. They are free range; only it is inside a warehouse that is packed with poultry.

Pictures of these chickens show they basically have the same space of mobility as their caged cousins. So take my advice, don’t be duped by the heart-healthy eggs that cost nearly three times more for practically the same thing.

These free range chicks are usually stacked on scaffolding so that they can pack these hen houses not just from side to side but from top to bottom as well. I’m not one against animal mistreatment, but I am against false advertising.

Usually, the word free roaming makes you think of these birds wandering about in a large field, playing with turkeys and hanging around cows. This is simply not the case; in fact, it is not even close to what is happening.

4 Steps to Incubate Fresh Chicken Eggs

An egg incubator is a useful tool built to speed up the process of hatching eggs. It is a practical piece of equipment to watch many types of egg. But it is most commonly used to hatch chicken eggs. Other eggs that can be hatched include ducks, quails, ostriches, or even penguins. Here are four steps to incubate chicken eggs:

Set up an Incubator

The egg incubator is a simple to use a piece of equipment and varies in quality from the DIY or hobbyist set-up to hold up to six eggs to the commercial-scale set-up with space to accept hundreds of eggs. Many of the incubators include a built-in fan, which helps to regulate temperature and keep the air moving.

There are several essential points to consider in the process of setting up the egg incubator, including:

Humidity – the preferred humidity range is 40-50% for the first 18 days, which is reduced to 65-75% for the remaining time until the chick is ready to hatch.

Temperature – for most reliable results it is essential to keep the incubator at a stable temperate of 99.5� for the entire duration. Any change in the moderate can lead to the chicks not hatching.

Ventilation – the chicken embryo needs fresh air to breathe, so it is important the incubator has vents or hole to permit the circulation of air.

The preferred placement is in an area that isn’t likely to experience much in the way of humidity or temperature fluctuations, so a spot in the basement is ideal.

Source fertile eggs

The fertile eggs are easily sourced from a local farmer who is willing to sell the eggs. Other options include individual feed stores that have a supply of eggs available in the spring, while online sources are an excellent choice. Eggs can be sent in the post in a cooled state to make sure they are still fertile on arrival.

Incubate

The general incubation period is a total of 21 days. Before placing the fertile eggs in the incubator make sure it has reached the desired humidity and temperature range. Once the eggs are set inside it is just a case of maintaining the optimal environment. Regular checks are essential to reduce the chance of things going wrong. It helps to include water often to help keep up the humidity level. Plus, the frequent turning of the eggs is needed and should take place every other day.

Hatching

After the 21 days have expired, the chicks should start to break through the shell and take their first breath. Avoid handling the chicks or attempting to speed up the process because this is more likely to cause harm. Once fully hatched, they can be left in the incubator until thoroughly dry. After this time it is possible to relocate to a brooder where the chicks remain for the next few weeks.